The search for Benjamin XII

I groan as the sun shines down onto my face I open my eyes and rub my face, I notice there is a furry body curled into my side I look and see it's a dog he's skinny and dirty but seems content curled up beside me he's mostly brown with a one spot on the tip of his tail and around his left eye, I sit up and the dog wakes up he sees me and start to wag his tail he sits up and I pet his head gently he seems very friendly I sit and wonder why he didn't leave with the others, his right ear has the top half of his ear missing I inspect his right ear it seems to have healed well and there is no signs of infection by the looks of it this wasn't done by another animal it's a decently clean cut which means that someone did this to him. My eyes tear up and I pull him into my lap hugging him "I'm so sorry people are heartless I won't let anything hurt you ever again I promise" I say as I hug him tightly he seems to enjoy it his tail wagging furiously he licks my face a couple times as I let him go and I stand up dusting myself off the once white long shirt has turned dirty brown and black from the dirt and ashes I slept on.

"I guess I should go back to the village and get my dress and a weapon if I'm going to search for Benjamin right buddy" I look at the happy dog he barks in response and I nod we start heading back through the forest trying to remember which way I went on that night but I wasn't sure I know I ran but don't know when I turned or anything I shrug and just keep walking I'm bound to find it eventually I tell myself the dog follows beside me he doesn't go very far from me but is mostly a little ahead of me sniffing around and playing with random sticks he finds on the way, by the time I find the river he has a mouth filled with sticks he can barely close his mouth over them, I laugh at him and how cute he looks "you are a silly boy huh I guess I should give you a name but what is the question" I sit with my feet in the river trying to come up with a name for him he jumps into the river which makes him drop all of his sticks he turns his attention to the small fish he sees swimming around he jumps up leaving his back feet planted on the ground and his front ones in the air he slams his two front paws down into the water making a big splash he does it over and over seeming completely happy with his life even tho his home is gone to we eventually keep walking, it starts to get late and I look up seeing Zuls cave i go over and motion for the dog to follow me he does and we go inside Zul is not here everything is in the same place as when we left he hasn't come back, I sit down on the bed and picture Zul sitting on that chair, I look at the dog and smile "I'm going to name you crook you little heart stealer" he barks and jumps onto the bed with me "you are definitely getting a bath before we go anyway tomorrow" he lays down with a small sigh I do the same after lighting the fire and getting under the blankets, I can still smell him on the blankets and the pillow "I miss you Zul why did you have to be so distant all of a sudden"

Zul pov

I know she has left the village I think about her often I seen that barg was the one who was taking her to the west village he has just returned and looks rather happy he usually doesn't look that happy I can't stand that she was with him alone in the forest my thoughts wander to what if they had sex what if she loves him, the thoughts of him touching her and seeing her the same way I seen her is driving me mad, I miss how lovely she smells and how loving and kind to animals and everyone basically, I often think of when she was helping the fox mother she looks so innocent and happy I seen her as my wife my one true love but Dura thinks it would be wrong for me to be with a human like her and that Whitney should be with a human man as well which is why I was distant, I hope she doesn't hate me but I guess I can't blame her if she does.. I took her virginity and then distanced myself, me and dura are sitting around where all the others are also relaxing everyone is chatting kids are running around except for one little boy his parents had been killed when he was only a year old and since Whitney left he hasn't been himself, Groma has been teaching him about plants she has filled their house with lots of plants trying to cheer him up it worked for a little but now it doesn't seem to be working anymore. I stand up and go over to him sitting beside him I put my hand on his head and he looks up at me I give a smirk "what's with the sad face little guy? You've been pretty down lately Olfin"

He shakes his head

Olfin:"I miss Whitney she was my best friend she taught me to write a little and was going to help me learn to read she was like my mum and now I have no one because she left me behind"

Hearing him say that made my heart miss her even more I pick up olfin and hug him

Zul:"well until she returns how about we go with the hunting party and we can teach you to hunt and how to track animals"

Barg:" yeah I can take you and teach you Whitney told me she will be coming back she still has to get her dress back from Groma and the other woman sorry Zul but we can't take you with us we've got a full party."

I glare at Barg as he smirks at me olfin jumps out of my lap and nods he turns to look at me I nod

Olfin:" can I go with him Zul and then when I get back we can do something! Right we could go fish or something" he says excitedly as he jumps around I chuckle

Zul:"Alright Olfin be very careful tho, Barg if he gets hurt I'll make you pay for it"

Barg:" he's safe with me and so is Whitney" Barg snaps and turns walking away with Olfin

Dura looks at me as I huff

Dura:" well good now you can ignore the little gremlin and the human and we can make our own family together I've seen the way she looked and frankly I think I she's rather ugly even for a human" I glare at dura and she shuts her mouth quickly getting up and walking away.